A nurturing environment allows children to feel heard and understood, which strengthens their confidence in expressing themselves.
Published Oct 10, 2025 | 7:33 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 10, 2025 | 7:33 PM
Mental health in children. (Representational image)
Synopsis: Supporting children’s emotional well-being involves several key strategies. These include listening attentively and empathetically, guiding children without taking control, modeling healthy coping strategies, and seeking professional help when necessary.
Mental Health is as essential for children and young teenagers as it is for adults. Mental and emotional well-being shapes a growing child’s world view – how they think, feel and respond to everyday situations.
On the occasion of World Mental Health Day this year, let’s focus on supporting the mental health of children and adolescents and also provide their caretakers and guardians with practical guidance.
Most often, children do not truly express their feelings openly to their parents. However, there are a few signs or changes in their body language that can indicate distress.
Few of them are:
Being able to identify these changes in children will go a long way in being able to resolve any issues right at the source rather than letting it develop into a serious issue later on in life.
Children need a safe space where they can share their thoughts and feelings freely. Parents, teachers and guardians can play a huge part in this by:
A nurturing environment allows children to feel heard and understood, which strengthens their confidence in expressing themselves.
Supporting mental health requires an ongoing and continuous effort.
Supporting children’s emotional well-being involves several key strategies. These include listening attentively and empathetically, guiding children without taking control, modeling healthy coping strategies, and seeking professional help when necessary.
Early intervention plays a crucial role in reducing the risk of long-term emotional difficulties. Children who receive timely support develop resilience, self-confidence, and stronger social skills. They become better equipped to manage stress, regulate their emotions, and solve problems effectively.
A collaborative approach—between parents, teachers, and mental health professionals—ensures that children receive the comprehensive care they need to thrive.
In today’s fast-paced tech-driven world, parenting can be challenging, since the rules are different in each family, as are sensitivities and perspectives. Children more often than not seek out gadgets for comfort and it is easy for signs of withdrawal to go unnoticed.
However, these tips may help parents equip themselves to help children’s mental well-being:
Supporting children’s mental health is a shared responsibility.
(Views expressed here are personal, edited by Sumavarsha)
